Snake woke up groggy and exhausted in his lower bunk bed. The first faint hint of sunrise filtered in through a cracked window, lending a pale blue glow to the room. Colors were faded, gradually seeping back into the world. His headache throbbed, and the muscles in his jaws, neck and shoulders, and left arm were sore. He felt sticky with dried sweat and there was a sour, metallic taste in his mouth. The side of his tongue ached where he had bitten it.

There was a presence on his left side and he turned his head, wincing from his stinging muscles. Quiet was lying on her side on the narrow bunk, mouth slightly open, looking weary even as she slept. Her arms were wound around Snake's left arm-now he noticed his prosthesis was missing. Her hand cupped the stump of his forearm, and her wrists showed fading red and purple bruises, worse on her right, where his bionic hand had held it in a vice grip. There was a dried streak of blood-his blood, he realized-on the back of her arm.

He was an idiot. He had thought he could have finally gotten over the trauma he'd survived when he had come to, but he had hit his own head on the metal wall, causing a seizure. He felt ashamed for losing control. He slid his arm out of Quiet's hands and sat up, feeling heavy because of the phenobarbital and whatever other drugs had been injected into him.

Quiet snapped awake as soon as she felt his movements, and she stepped off the bunk, scrutinizing him. He swung his legs over the side and reached out to touch the back of her hand. Even if she healed so quickly that the bruises would be gone in the next half hour, he had still harmed a comrade. He opened his mouth to apologize, but she shook her head mildly and stepped back. He'd make it up to her later, he thought.

His prosthesis was nowhere to be seen in the room. He got to his feet and Quiet had to hold onto his shoulders for a moment as he swayed in place. He staggered to the next room and leaned on the sink to rinse out his mouth and spit. In the mirror, his face appeared puffy with induced sleep and his eyelid was droopy.

He turned to go back to get the iDroid, but Quiet was already beside him handing over the device, which she had navigated to Ocelot's frequency. Snake sat on the chair next to the table with the medical supplies strewn all over. His bionic arm was also there, looking a bit scratched up. He waited for the call to go through as Quiet strode off to his bathroom and closed the door behind her. He heard the shower squeak on.

"Boss," greeted the drawling voice from the iDroid, "You all right?"

"Yeah," he replied hoarsely with his sore tongue.

"You had a seizure," Ocelot stated, "You remember it?"

"Yeah. Hit my head myself," Snake sighed, exasperated.

"That's what happened?" asked Ocelot, sounding as though he were raising his eyebrows. "We removed your arm, just in case. I saw the notebook. Asked Quiet to keep an eye on you in case you had another seizure. She knows what to do now if it happens in the field. A doctor checked up on you while you were out, but he wanted you to stop by later."

"Thanks," muttered Snake. He was lucky that Ocelot had been nearby in his quarters rather than in his Intel office.

"Of course. Take it easy, Snake. The men worry when you look like you haven't slept in weeks."

He grunted his agreement and hung up.

From the bathroom, the sounds of water stopped. Snake leaned his arms on his knees in the chair and let his vision become unfocused, waiting. He noticed how tired his body was after he had pushed himself the past few weeks. He wanted to shower and make sure he and Quiet were okay before sleeping off the rest of the seizure medication, which was still making him feel sluggish and drowsy.

His iDroid rang.

"Boss!" exclaimed Kaz.

"Kaz," greeted Snake. He heard a loud sigh of relief and exasperation.

"Where is she?! Did you call off the guards?"

"Uh, yeah," lied Snake. He figured Ocelot must have dismissed the guards at Quiet's cell without telling Kaz about the accident.

Kaz scoffed, and was probably about to express his opinion about Quiet again, so Snake cut in first before it made his headache worse.

"I'm taking the day off," he said quickly, "I'll see you later, Kaz."

Quiet stepped out of the bathroom dripping, wearing her top, bottom, and leggings. She set the rest of the gear on the floor. She had heard the last of the Boss's conversation with Miller, so she knew she was no longer expected to be in the cell. She still had to make sure the Boss wouldn't have subsequent seizures, and she didn't want to leave him alone after hurting him-even though she knew his reaction hadn't been entirely her fault.

She stopped in front of him, and he stood and was about to speak, but she jerked her thumb toward the bathroom, cutting him off. She knew he'd feel more comfortable after a shower. He headed there obediently, looking back once as she crossed her arms, as if to make sure she would still be there when he returned.

She was lying on her stomach on the bottom bunk, listening to upbeat synthpop on the radio she had taken from the other room, when the Boss returned from his shower. He'd only bothered to put on a t-shirt, pants, fresh bandages on his leg, and a clean eye patch, but he didn't seem to be awkward without the bionic arm. He put his iDroid into the drawer of the nightstand and looked as though he were waiting to say something. She turned off the radio and stood. He glanced at the damp spot she had left on the sheets because she never dried herself, and she shrugged apologetically.

"You okay?" asked the Boss.

She nodded, showing him her unblemished arms. She was simply disappointed she hadn't been able to help him.

"I shouldn't have forced you to choke me," he apologized. He looked down at his hand and the forearm missing a hand.

She stepped forward, making him look back up. Yes, she had been distressed, but she understood his reasons. No harm done. She reached up slowly and placed her bare right hand on the side of his neck.

He startled and his right arm twitched as though his immediate reaction was to push away, but he stood still. She slid her thumb forward to rest under his chin, putting light pressure. She saw his chest start to rise and fall rapidly, and his expression betrayed fear as his skin heated under her touch. Were the flashbacks that bad?

She raised her eyebrows expectantly and made a "come at me" gesture with her free hand, challenging the Boss to counter with CQC, but it only made him look uncertain.

He probably wasn't ready to attack her so soon; he always blamed himself more than necessary. So Quiet let her hand drop from his neck, and he exhaled and regained his composure.

"Thanks, but I don't want to practice right now," he muttered, blinking away and looking at the floor.

She grabbed the notepad from the nightstand and flipped to a blank page.

"Then next time."

He nodded. He looked tired and distracted, and glanced at the bunk, but she wanted to write one more thing.

"I have missed you."

Big Boss's eye widened. Quiet tossed the notepad onto the nightstand. Feeling bold, she took his right hand with her left. It was all right, wasn't it? Was everything between them back to normal?

For a second he looked at her expression, then extracted his hand from hers and clapped it on her shoulder in a gesture of camaraderie. But she really wanted to hold him after what had happened last night. She stepped forward and touched her fingertips to his chest near the collarbone. He radiated warmth beneath the tan cotton t-shirt.

Her small touch was apparently all it took for the Boss to close the distance, wrap his arms around her, and pull her snugly against him. She pressed her hands against the muscles in his back, closing her eyes, heart beating fast, head light with joy. He smelled of laundry detergent, but something about his natural scent had always been delectable, and she was enveloped in it now.

He tucked his head into the hollow of her neck and inhaled deeply. He trembled as he exhaled and pressed her to his warmth. She could feel his fatigue, relief, and affection, and her cheek against his chest told her how fast his heart was beating. His one hand was warm and flat against her bare upper back, but he was holding her firmly as best he could with the other arm, too.

She hadn't ever been embraced quite this before-as if she were cherished. He didn't need to say he had missed her; she could feel it.

When he finally released her and stepped back, the air felt cool in contrast to his warmth. He checked her reaction, and she saw his hint of a smile reflecting hers.

"I have to get more rest. You staying?" he asked.

She closed her eyes and nodded once, happily, then went to close the door. Big Boss opened the small window all the way for more fresh air.

Then he sat heavily with a sigh on the lower bunk bed, letting his head fall forward. He swung his legs into the bed and stretched out, taking deep breaths. Quiet sat beside him on the narrow mattress, wrapping her arms around her thighs and resting her chin on her knees. She thought the Boss looked cute when he was sleepy and unguarded. She was lucky to be able to see this side of him, and not just in the helicopter.

"Can listen to music if you want," he mumbled. Quiet watched until his eye closed and his breathing became steady. She noted sadly that it didn't take him more than two minutes to fall asleep. But the sounds of his slow and even breaths were soothing, and she realized how tired she was, too. She had stayed up worrying and then had watched over him while he'd been sedated.

She wanted to stay beside the man who had given her a feeling of peace.

She awakened to distant sounds drifting through the open window: staff chattering, footsteps echoing, supplies being rolled on carts, the cries of seagulls, the creaking and clanging noises of construction. The room was lit brightly by the sun outside, and she felt a warm presence to her right. She turned her head; the Boss remained still, his chest rising and falling regularly. The nightmares hadn't visited him this time, she noted with relief.

She sat up noiselessly and took the iDroid from the nightstand, checking the time. An idea popped up in her mind and she navigated through the menus, glancing at the Boss to make sure he would not be disturbed by the faint beeps.

His friend was gone from the bunk bed when Snake woke up before noon. He lay still for a few more moments with eyes closed, waiting for brighter colors to return to his vision, savoring the remnants of sleep. It had been unusually relaxing, and other than some lingering muscle soreness and his leg wounds, he felt completely revitalized. He rolled onto his left side to touch the mattress with his organic right hand; the place where Quiet had been was already cool. He didn't fully understand why she cared so much for him, but regaining her as his trusted buddy made him content enough.

He got up to dress, and headed outside.

Kaz and DD met him along the way to the mess hall. Snake knelt to ruffle DD's fur as the wolf licked him frantically, and then DD trotted in circles ahead of the two men, tail wagging excitedly because he knew lunchtime treats were soon due.

"Snake, you look a lot better," approved Kaz.

"Yeah. Got more shut-eye."

"Hey, what's that?"

Snake looked up toward where Kaz had jerked his chin. On the nearest tower, two staff members on ladders were painting something on the Diamonds Dogs logo. Snake gazed wordlessly.

And then, by the painted snout, he glimpsed the small, delicate blue shape.

"A butterfly."